Winner of McGladrey Classic

Ben Crane won The McGladrey Classic on Oct. 16, 2011 on the Seaside Course in Sea Island, Georgia. He is the third different golfer to win a tournament during the three Fall Series events. Ben was also the third golfer to win his first 2011 PGA event on the Fall Tour. He won the event in a dramatic playoff as the Fall Series has produced two playoffs back to back. As a PGA fan, I enjoy the exciting playoff finishes and there have been plenty in 2011. It is also fun for me to have a so many different winners in absence of a dominant golfer. Ben Crane also enjoyed winning $720,000. Runner up Webb Simpson lost in a playoff. Michael Thompson missed the playoff by one stroke.

In 2006, just before he turned 30, Ben was the highest ranked American golfer under that age in the Official World Golf Rankings. In 2010, he carded a final-round 70 to win the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines by a single stroke, and in October 2010, he won the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia, an event co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR and Asian Tour. Ben won the 2011 McGladrey Classic by defeating Webb Simpson in a playoff. 

Coming from out of the woodwork in the final round with a 63, Crane was able to force a playoff with tournament favorite—and possible player of the year—Webb Simpson.

Crane was all business on the first hole of sudden death as he split the fairway with his tee shot then followed up with an approach that he branded "The best I've got," in a TV interview. Frustratingly, he hurried his five-footer and allowed Webb to get up-and-down from the bunker to force a second playoff hole. 

Both Crane's and Simpson's approach found the green and just as it looked as if Simpson would two-putt to force a third playoff hole, he lipped the putt out—to gasps and groans from the crowd—and the tournament was Crane's. 

He was asked after the win if he thought he had a chance to win the tournament after the turn when he still trailed the leader by six strokes.

"I wasn't even looking at the leaderboard because I didn't feel like I had an opportunity to look at the leaderboard," Crane said in a TV interview. "I was just riding a hot putter, making those big putts at 10 and 11, then again at 14 and 15.

"I looked up on the 16th green and was like, 'Wow, I'm two back.' I ran one in there, then the adrenaline went through me when I birdied 17."

Winner's Bag:

DRIVER: Titleist 910 D2 Driver (7.5°) with a Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara W 50 for Titleist shaft

FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade V Steel (15°) Titleist 910F (17°) with Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 93 shafts

HYBRID: Titleist 910H (21°) with a UST Mamiya ProForce AXIVCore 100 shaft

IRONS: Titleist AP2 (5-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts

WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design (51°), Spin Milled C-C (55°, 59°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts

PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot #5

BALL: Titleist Pro V1x

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